I'll Show Them
by Romaniasdoll
Summary: Valerie Cawon lives a double life as Steam Punk, one of Gotham's underestimated villains who has a passion for inverting her own gadgets. What happens if she's related to Bruce Wayne, who is the masked vigilante of Gotham...? *Has a LOT OF CHARACTERS IN IT OK.* *OCxRobin along the way, ok*
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, guys~! This is my first time writing a Batman fanfic! I got the idea, because I love the trilogy with Christian Bale.. This is set during The Dark Knight, but it's way different than the movie. It may have some same events and characters as the movie, but it has a whole different plot because I threw an OC in it. Also, in The Dark Knight Rises, there's John Blake, the detective. I also put him in this, even though he's not in the movie. I have an idea for a squeal after this, so if I get good reviews, I'll make it~! Please R&R, and leave suggestions and creative criticism.**

* * *

For anyone who entered the small, run down house located in the poor, trashed neighborhood, the first thing that would meet their nose would be the overwhelming aroma of medical supplies. The house was broken and battered by years of needed repairs that never came. They had been attempted, leaving half painted walls everywhere, the small living room in a mess, and the dining room table left hazardous with renovation tools. They small family that consisted of a mother and daughter tried to keep it as clean as they could, but... Everything turned around several months before, causing them to stop everything.

The master bedroom was about the size of a normal bedroom, with a walk in closet. A large bed made from ash wood took up a majority of the room. In it, laid a frail woman who could be no older than fifty. An IV drip hung from a metal pole beside the bed, a needle inserted into her pale, fragile hand. A small heart monitor, supplied by the local hospital, beeped at a steady pace with her dying heart. Her daughter sat in a rusted metal chair beside her, gripping onto her right hand. This was how she wished to spend her final days, hours. Sharing memories with her only daughter.

Then, both got eerily quiet. It was several moments before Miss Cawon spoke. "Val, there's something I want to tell you before I leave you," She gave a small squeeze to Valerie's hand as she erupted into a coughing fit. The doctors couldn't find what was wrong with Caroline Cawon. She just woke up one day, sick as a dog. They ran many tests, scans, and took blood samples. Nothing showed up. They sent her home with the supplies, such as the IV and heart monitor, and had a nurse who came by an hour every day.

"Don't talk like that, Mom," Val responded after she stopped coughing. Her eyes were saddened, giving hint at her fear or her mothers approaching death. She was only fifteen, she shouldn't be going through this...

Caroline closed her eyes. "I think I should at least tell you who your father is," Valerie tensed up. Her mother never spoke of the man who gave her her only child. Valerie despised him without meeting him.

"Who?" Val asked cautiously.

Her mother was silent for a few moments. "Just know, I left him before he knew about you... He was starting to do so well with his life!" Another small round of coughing. "I left him, saying he didn't need distractions. He.. he wanted to marry me, but I couldn't tell him... I declined and left." She was rambling on, and Val placed her other hand on her mother's arm.

"Who, mother?"

"Bruce Wayne.."

* * *

Darkness blanketed Gotham when the sun set, light pollution from the metropolis blocking out the stars and causing the sky to appear somewhat lighter than it should have been. The city continues to pulsate with energy and people despite the dark hour. A woman stood on top of the building, watching the busy street below her. She wore a solid black jumpsuit that zipped down the front, the sipper stopping at the hallow of her neck. It was the woman's own personal design, made of two different fabrics. The inside kept heat in at a comfortable temperature, while the outside was light and good for defending knives and bullets. Gloves covered her hands, made from leather and had rubber on the fingertips in case she came across an electric fence or something just as shocking. She had a belt wrapped around her curvy waist, copper with 'SP' engraved on the buckle. Her shoes were black, reaching her knees. They laced down to the ankle, black ribbons instead of lace. The toes were round and copper plated so she wouldn't be in much pain if she kicked something. The heels were tall, thin and also copper. The woman's hair was pulled back into curly ponytail, dark purple with bangs that surrounded her face. Resting neatly in the hairline where her bangs started rested a pair of copper goggles. Her eyes were a stunning yellow, lemon colored.

She jumped, free falling through the air. Skillfully and with a soft _thud_, she landed on a ledge and twisted her torso around, falling off and grabbing the edge. She maneuvered her way across it until she was hanging above a fire escape. She hurried down the metal fire escape, her heels clicking on the iron. She broke the heel off her shoe, standing in front of a window. She pressed a button, and a small drill came from the end, rotating fast with a quiet hum. She reversed the rotation and drilled the screws out of the window frame, slipping into the building. She was on the third floor, and began heading downstairs. She had mapped out the window days before to know she would enter in the main stairwell.

She pulled her goggles down over her eyes, adjusting them. She tapped a button on them a few times, switching to night vision. She pulled a device off her belt, throwing it at the ceiling where it stuck firmly. A smirk came across her lips as the device activated, knocking out all alarms and cameras in the building. She loved to invent her own gadgets! She created from copper, cogs, everything Victorian she could get her hands on.

Thus giving her the name she chose for herself; Steam Punk.

Steam put her heel back on her boot, clicking the two together. They reclined into her boots, causing them to be flat. This gave her the ability to run if she was being chased and to make less noise in case anyone was in the building. She hopped over the stair railing and fell to the first floor, like a cat. She had amazing reflexes and skill for all the exercises she did and the years of ballet she took before she lost all her money.

Stealthily, she opened the door to the jewelry shop. She knew she would only have five minutes before the alarms came back. She hadn't yet built it to stand longer, though five minutes would be enough. There was something here she desperately needed to get her hands on.

A platinum engagement ring, set with a diamond. She could sell it to Lao for a good $19k, who would turn around and sell it, and so on. She would give around 17k to random places around the city, such as orphanages or schools in the slums. People who needed it. She would keep two grand for her and her mother, to pay the bills. No one would know.

She walked over to the display case, pulling her heel out of her shoe again. She started the drill back up, carving a perfect circle into the case right above the shining ring. She grinned in anticipation, grabbing the glass before it hit the jewelry. Setting it to the side, she extracted the ring and looked over it. With a sinister smirk, Steam Punk slipped it on her gloved finer and examined it. Beautiful. She pulled it off and held it between her lips while she switched the heel to a lazer pen, melting the glass back into place. She turned around, pulling the ring off and tossing it in the air. Another gloved hand grabbed it, causing her eyes to dark around. For a second, she couldn't see anything because of the night vision, but then she saw two figures standing in front of her. She sneered and moved away, moving into a defensive position.

"Oh, if it isn't Batty-watty and Bird brains." She smirked, crossing her arms.

Robin and Batman both glared at her, the younger holding the ring. "Stealing from jewelry stores? I thought you were original."

She shrugged, walking towards them. "What can I say," The heel changed to a knife, and she pointed it at Robin's heart, "Girls have eyes for shiny things."

Robin growled, as Batman spoke, his voice deep and gravelly. "You have two seconds to get out of here."

"Not without that ring," She growled back, lunging at Robin, who stumbled back and let it go. Steam Punk grabbed it, dashing for the door. Her alarm had thirty seconds left before the police arrived. If she could outrun the two vigilant heroes of Gotham, she could keep the ring. She shielded her face, kicking out the window on the first floor, sliding out onto the sidewalk. A few people screamed, and she pulled her goggles up. Quickly, she sprinted off into the ally from where she came. Her motorcycle was there, black with copper. Did I mention she loved copper? She bought it a few weeks before to make getting around easier.

She jumped on it, kicking the kick stand back. Adrenaline pumped through her body, causing her to shake with anticipation. It was silent. She knew they could appear at any moment. She revved the engine, and twisted the accelerator forward. Everything was green for her, since she still had it on the night vision setting.

Suddenly, Batman fell from the fire escape, a few yards infront of her. She slammed on the breaks, turning ina circle in the wide ally. Robin was there, blocking the path. She growled, trying to find somewhere to go. She didn't have anywhere...

She threw the ring at Bird Brains, and thrust the accelerator and sped past him and into the traffic of Gotham. Police zoomed past her, the device she had placed on the roof now defective.

It seems now that Valerie's mother won't live to see another day, after all...


	2. Chapter 2

She stood beside the fresh mound of dirt, her tears long dried up from hours of sobbing. Her hands clutched at the sides of the black skirt she had worn for the funeral, knuckles white from effort. All she wanted to do was throw herself down on the grave, but she had to refrain from doing that. A few people still milled around, such as nurses and doctors who knew her mother, patting her on the back and giving her saddened condolences.

She was enraged, ad, and scared all at the same time. What would happen to her now? Would she have to go to that.. rich, narcassistic thing that her mother said created her? Would she really have a choice? She was only sixteen... Valerie wouldn't have a choice.

Sighing, she walked over to Sammi, the nurse who had come by everyday to take care of Caroline. She got into the passenger seat of the Honda, laying her head back against the headrest, shutting her eyes tight.

* * *

Footsteps echoed throughout the hallway, shiny black shoes that reflected the image of the lush hallway clicked against the waxed tile floor. Heasitating for a few moments, he knocked on the door and entered. A whole meeting room glanced up at the man, annoyed at being interrupted. Except for one man. Bruce Wayne was out cold, snoring in a chair.

"I need to speak to Mr. Wayne, privatly, important matter that has to be delt with," The lawyer said, clutching the folder. Soemone shoved him and he awoke with a start, looking around. The lawyer motioned for him to follow with a curve of his index finger. They went into Mr. Wayne's office, shutting the door.

"What's so important you have to pull me out of a meeting for?" He snarled, sitting in his chair behind the large maple wood desk.

"It didn't seem like you were discussing much," The layer mumbled under his breath with a sarcastic tone. He passed the manilla folder to Bruce, who opened it and pulled out several papers. An envelope was there on top, beautiful cursive spelling out his name. There was no return adress, just his name. He knew the hadnwriting, he would have known it anywhere. it had been years since he had seen it... Carefully, he turned the note over. No one had opened it since it was sealed. He slid his small finger under the edge and ripped the letter open, ignoring all of the other papers. They were not as important as the letter at the moment. Bruce opened the letter, neatly folded in half.

_Bruce,_

_If you're reading this, this means I've gotten too sick or I've left this world. I'm dearly sorry, I really am. I'ts been years, sixteen. I still remember all the times we laughed, though. Bruce, I still love you. I never moved on. When I left you, I was thinking about you. You don't need to be held back, you can be so much, and you have prooved that after all of these years. Love, we have a daughter now. You must be so shocked to hear this, but I never intended for you to find out... I didn't want you to have to stop everything to help raise her. So I did. Then, I grew sick. The doctors don't know what's wrong with me, and as I write this I fear I may not have much longer left. She's only sixteen... if anything were to happen to me, I want you to know and care for her as she starts her own life. I'm so sorry for dumping all of this on you now, Bruce, but I had to tell you. I just had too. I love you._

_-Caroline Cawon_

Stunned, Bruce didn't even feel the leeter slip from his fingers. So that's why she didn't marrry him... After blinking a few times, he started sorting through all of the other papers. Birth certificate, medical records, school papers, all the works.

Bruce didn't know whether to be estatic or scream and punch a window.

* * *

A week later, paperwork settled and he had full custody of Valerie. It took a while for it to sink in, but when he met her... She was basically a younger and female version of him. Hey hair was black, natural golden highlights from her mother racing throughout her long and curly hair. Her bangs were tick, cut slightly curved while straight across. They came to her dark hazel eyes.

She had been at the manor for a day, hiding inside her new bedroom. She hadn't come out, she hadn't said a single word to him or Alfred... he was starting to get a bit worried.

"Alfred, should I be worried that she's not coming out or talking to me?"

"No, no, Master Wayne. Her mother just died, and she just met you. Give her some time," The English butler gave a tired smile to his boss, "Maybe you should invite her out to a lunch, try talking to her first?"

So, he did. He climbed the stairs to te second floor, quietly knocking on her door. He opened it and looked around for her. She was sitting in the window seat, looking outside at the manor's grounds and listening to music on her old MP3, which was battered and beaten.

He crossed the room, tapping lightly on her tan shoulder. She jumped and looked at him, and he gave an awkward and confused smile. She pulled her ear buds out by the cords, keeping her eyes off of him and on the wall behind.

"Are you hungry? I was going to see if you wanted to go get some lunch somewhere."

Valerie gave him a skeptical look, and shrugged. Bruce took that as a yes. He began to leave the room, Valerie following him.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they were both sitting inside of an old diner, fifties styled, right down to the booths and the waitresses, who rolled around on roller skates. Valerie went to put her ear buds back in, but Bruce stopped her. "Hey, wait. Why don't we at least talk?" Valerie slowly put her MP3 away, head tilted slightly at Bruce in a slightly crazed way. Oh, lord... "Uhm, what are you into?"

She honestly wanted to reply with stealing, but she was sure that's not something you tell the man who is apparently your father. "Science," She mumbled, leaning back in the booth and sipping the dark, brandy colored Coke she got to drink.

Bruce raised his eyebrows, stirring his tea around with his straw, leaning his arm on the table. "Science? Like, what area?"

"Forensics and inventing, I guess."

"I know someone you need to meet." He smiled a bit, and she rolled her eyes. He sighed, and looked down.

"I just want you to know, I don't trust you." He raised another eyebrow, looking into her glaring eyes.

"Why might that be?"

Valerie leaned forward, a smug smirk on her lips. "I grew up in the hood, kay, Brucy-wucy? I'm not going to be the perfect little daughter for you, if that's what your expecting. I can tell it in your eyes. Not all of us can be born into a mansion, money, cars, companies and fame. Not all of us are good citizens." She sat back, and called the waitress over. "Can I have a small plate of fries? I'm vegan. Nothing animal related better be in them." The waitress was alarmed by her tone, and rushed off to get it for her.

Bruce just looked annoyed and slightly pissed off and also leaned back. Brucy-wucy? What the hell was wrong with this child? Apparently, she wasn't a mini verion of him. She must be far worse.

* * *

John arranged papers for Mr. Fox, his boss. He was lucky to recive an internship in the Science area of Wayne Enterprises. Oh, who the hell is he kidding. Of course he would get the internship; He worked so closely with Bruce it would be impossible for him not to have gotten it.

He sighed, placing them in the correct places in the back office. He heard something going on outside, so he poked his head out of the office. Mr. Fox, an elderly African American man with stark white hair, was talking to Bruce and some girl who looked like him. At first glance, he thought she was simply... beautiful. He came out of the room and looked at all of them. "What's up?"

"John, this is Valerie, my daughter." John held his hand out to her. Daughter? He had a daughter?

She shook it. "Nice to meet you, John." He nodded, exchanging the same words, with her name.

"So, you're interested in science, Miss Valerie?" John smirked. Brains and beauty? She must have guys trailing after her every day. Bruce punched him in the arm while Valerie and Lucius were distracted, hurting his upper arm. Apparently he only knew her for a day and was already making her off limits to him...

"Yes, sir. I've crated several of ym own inventions out of normal household items. I have a small, robotic kitten that runs off solar power. Granted, I haven't charged it in a few months. I've been busy, and there are still a lot of bugs to fix. She's basically my best friend."

Lucius nodded. "Have you thought of a career path?" She shook her head, curly moving with the motion.

"Well, if it's okay with Mr. Wayne, and if you wish, we could always use more interns."


End file.
